I’d like to introduce myself as a product line manager at Intel who has spent almost a decade ensuring we are creating the best servers to solve small business challenges. Part of my role is to influence future generation products and I’d like to learn more about your challenges, needs and desires so I can ensure we address them in our next generation products. Here is a story I have heard in the past: “Ah geez, What Now? A customer just called to tell me they tried to enter an online order for my product and my web site is nowhere to be found. I am lucky they called, but so much for spending a Saturday at my kid’s baseball tournament! Now I need to drive an hour to my downtown office to restart and possibly fumble with my server. You would think that the desktop system that I am using as a server would just work so I can spend my free time with my family and my work time growing my business.” I can’t count the number of times I have heard a similar story from customers and colleagues that are trying to grow a small business, manage their own computers and have a personal life. The answer to their problem is simple, buy a real server based on Intel®Xeon® Processors that is designed to keep your business running 24/7. Our latest Xeon processors and chipsets are not only validated to run 24/7, but include features such as support for error correcting code memory and RAID for server operating systems that ensure dependability and differentiate a real server from desktop system used as a server. However, a small business should not care about all this technical jargon. I believe they only care that their server runs 24/7 without failure, enabling them to focus on business growth and life. What are your small business challenges? I’m all ears. Keith
I have to tell you that your blog caused me to walk over to my servers and look at the processors they were running and upon doing that, the smile that resulted morphed into an all-out grin. I am actually excited to tell you that I have some real-time, daily comparison between the Pentium III and the Xenon boxes. I run both machines 24-7 and only have issues with the older P3 machine. Whether its age, chipset, or other - all I know is the Xenon box never has an issue and is a dream to use. When I say never, I mean I never have to worry about it other than when I have to restart it after a windows update. The only time it shut down was during an extended power failure and the battery backup ran out of juice. The P3 machine... not the same story. Its slow, temperamental, and a chore to manage. Most of that may be 'pilot induced' of course, but the experience with the Xenon does speak to your point.